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Memphis Paycheck Calculator (2026)

Enter your annual salary below to see your Memphis take-home pay after federal, FICA, and Tennessee state tax for 2026.

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Memphis sits in Tennessee — no state income tax on wages, no state-administered SDI or PFML. The state line on a Memphis paycheck reads $0. Federal tax and FICA carry the full payroll-tax computation. At $85,000 single, take-home reaches $68,628 per year.

Memphis sits at the convergence of river, road, rail, and air transport on the Mississippi River, making it one of the most strategic logistics hubs in North America. FedEx World Headquarters and FedEx's primary air hub at Memphis International Airport drive overnight cargo flows that make the airport the second-largest US cargo facility by tonnage. AutoZone, International Paper, and First Horizon all headquarter in the city. St. Jude Children's Research Hospital draws international attention for pediatric cancer research; Methodist Le Bonheur, Baptist Memorial, and Regional One anchor a substantial healthcare base. The Mississippi River port and a dense railroad junction concentrate distribution and manufacturing through metro Memphis. Tennessee charges no state income tax on wages (Hall Tax on interest and dividends fully phased out in 2021), and Tennessee operates no state-administered employee payroll program. Median rent in Memphis runs roughly $1,200 monthly, among the lowest of major US metros and meaningfully below Nashville. At $85,000 single, federal tax resolves to $9,870, Tennessee state tax to $0, FICA combined to $6,503, leaving take-home of $68,628.

$85,000 single filer take-home comparison

Memphis

$68,600

Tennessee (no city tax)

$68,600

Texas (no income tax)

$68,600

Memphis take-home is $0 vs the state-only figure and $0 vs the no-income-tax baseline.

How Tennessee tax applies in Memphis

Memphis does not levy a separate municipal income tax. Your paycheck math runs the Tennessee state schedule on top of federal tax and FICA. The Tennessee state page covers the full bracket detail and any state-administered programs (such as SDI or paid leave) that apply uniformly to every resident of the state.

Open the Tennessee paycheck calculator

What this estimate includes

This calculator computes Memphis take-home pay using 2026 federal brackets after the standard deduction, FICA contributions (Social Security up to the annual wage base, Medicare on all wages, plus the Additional Medicare Tax above the filing-status threshold), and Tennessee's state income tax schedule. No municipal income tax applies in Memphis. The calculator excludes employer-side payroll taxes, custom W-4 elections, supplemental-wage handling for bonuses or equity vesting, and income from sources other than W-2 wages.

Memphis paycheck FAQ

How much state tax does Memphis pay?
Tennessee charges no state income tax on wages. The Hall Tax on interest and dividends, the state's last income-tax-style levy, fully phased out at the start of 2021. Memphis residents at $85,000 single see a state tax line of $0. The full payroll-tax computation falls on federal income tax and FICA.
What state-administered payroll programs apply in Memphis?
Tennessee operates no state SDI, no PFML, and no paid-leave employee contribution. Memphis paychecks show nothing on the state-administered line. FedEx, AutoZone, and other major Memphis employers offer their own private benefits programs, but those are employer-funded packages rather than state-mandated employee deductions.
What changes for married filing jointly, head of household, or filing separately at $85,000 in Memphis?
Tennessee's lack of state income tax means filing status moves only federal mechanics on a Memphis paycheck. At $85,000, MFJ take-home reaches $72,658 ($4,030 more than single). Head of household clears $71,550. Married filing separately lands at $68,628. There is no state-level filing-status differential layered on top, so the entire spread reflects federal bracket widths and the doubled MFJ standard deduction.
Does Memphis have a city income tax?
No. Memphis does not levy a city income tax. Tennessee state law prohibits broad-based municipal income taxes, so neither the City of Memphis nor Shelby County imposes one. Memphis funds its general budget through property tax, sales tax, business and occupational license taxes, and revenue from the city-owned utility (MLGW).
How does Memphis compare to Nashville for paycheck taxes?
Nashville shares Memphis's Tennessee state framework precisely — same $0 state line, same lack of state-administered programs. Industry mix is the wedge: Nashville leans on healthcare HQ, music, and automotive; Memphis on logistics, distribution, and cargo. Take-home at $85,000 is identical; Memphis rents run roughly 30% below Nashville's.
Where does Memphis differ from Little Rock or Birmingham for paycheck taxes?
Little Rock sits in Arkansas, which applies a progressive state schedule topping near 4.7% — Arkansas paychecks at $85,000 take home less than Memphis. Birmingham sits in Alabama, which runs a progressive state schedule plus a 1% Birmingham Occupational License Tax — a Birmingham paycheck faces both a state line and a city line that Memphis avoids entirely.

See also

Run the full Tennessee paycheck calculatorBrowse all city paycheck calculatorsBrowse paycheck calculators by statePaycheck and tax glossaryHow we calculate paycheck taxes

Reviewed

How This Page Is Reviewed

The Memphis paycheck page is reviewed against primary federal, state, and city sources before each major tax-year update. Source links below are the references used to validate brackets, wage bases, and supported local taxes.

Reviewed by

PaycheckCalc Research Desk

Last reviewed

2026-05-28